Light at the End of the Tunnel
by TheLionESS-232
Summary: A Nala-centric POV. Starts at the end of TLK and ends at the end of TLK2. Rated for sad "dark themes". Story of Kopa, from Nala's perspective, in short. Of course it also goes ahead to Kiara and... Well let's just let you read it.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own The Lion King or any of it's characters**

**Okay I got this idea while ranting in my head about how almost no one pays any attention to Kopa. I was looking through all these stories, and no matter how much I love Kiara, I like Kopa a lot too. And he adds massive amounts to the story-he's one of the main reasons Simba and Nala resent the Outsiders so much, and why they're so protective of Kiara. I also dislike how Nala seemed to have so much of a side-role in TLK2, so here is her story. Or at least, one of my versions of it. It will start at the end of The Lion King, and finish at the end of The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride. It won't be a whole story straight through, though. Sometimes I'll only skip a few days later, and sometimes a year, ect. I don't know how long it will be-maybe a five-shot or something.**

* * *

Rafiki raised my fluffy ball of a son high into the sky, a mark, symbolizing his future crown, upon his forehead. Squinting slightly, the cub yawned, as though he had just been woken up from a nap. _He has, _I thought smiling. I nuzzled my mate, and my prides new king, warmly, happier than I'd ever been before. Scar was gone, and the Pride Lands were new and green again. It was hard to believe it had only been three short months since Simba had overthrown _The Tyrant, _or Scar, if you're talking names.

But all that aside, I was overflowing with joy at the thought of my new prince. _Our new prince. Our Kopa._ The words seemed so right, so peaceful.  
Not a worry or dark thought was even existent in my mind, and as the whole kingdom before us bowed, A cool wind blew over us. The clouds above us parted, and the face of Mufasa himself seemed to smile down upon us. The sunshine acting as a spotlight, Kopa giggled out at the bowing kingdom before him.  
Seeing the beams of light that shone around him, Kopa struck his paw out at them, swatting at the peaceful rays, and making Simba and I smile again at our new son. The picture of innocence. How any animal would ever be able to hurt one of these things was unknown to me. It showed even more of the darkness within Scar's mind.

Rafiki slowly made his way back to me and my mate, smiling politely. I gazed out at my kingdom... well, my and Simba's kingdom, anyway. Animals of every kind were gathered to meet their new prince and future king, much like how they had for generations.

Rafiki paused in front of me, and seeing how I was curled up on the ground, he set Kopa in the circle that my body formed. Kopa nuzzled me, snuggling up against me. He fell asleep quickly, and slowly but surely the crowds dispersed. Within about ten minutes, all but a few of the stragglers, Rafiki, and our pride were present. _Well, most of our pride,_ I thought, finding it odd that Zira, her cubs, and a few of her friends weren't present... I dismissed this thought fairly quickly however, and returned to codding my baby boy. Simba licked my muzzle, and I purred affectionately, Nuzzling his cheek in response. I began to groom my son, and all was peaceful. I was in a state of pure bliss. I hadn't been this happy since I first re-met Simba... no, this was even better than that. Because now I not only had my beloved best friend and mate with me, I also had my perfect, beautiful son.

_Remember who you are._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
**A few weeks later...**

Seven week-old Kopa bounded up to me, tackling me playfully and chewing on my ear. I raised my eyebrows, smiling. "And where were you, Kopa? Don't tell me you forgot that it was time for your bath..." I grinned mischievously, before snatching up my son by the scruff of his neck. I pulled him in front of me and set about grooming him, licking his head, firmly but affectionately.

"Mo-om! You're messing up my mane!" I raised my eyebrows yet again. Talk about a blast from the past.

"Uh-huh." My eyes twinkled. This was fun. "So, what were you doing, mane-boy?" He gave me one more scowl for good measure, but I could tell he wasn't really mad. _Slightly miffed, maybe, but not mad.  
_  
"I was out playing with Sahari..." he started slowly.

Sahari was his best friend, and _also _whom he was betrothed to, much to his disgust. His and his friend's response to this tidbit of information when I overheard Zazu first telling him was quite similar to mine and Simba's at their age: "_Eww, gross! I can't marry Sahari/Kopa, they're my best friend!" _which was accompanied with a disgusted scowl from each of them, respectably.

I smiled, letting him know-even though he probably already did-that I wasn't mad or ticked off. He grinned, relieved, and nuzzled me. "You can go play now, Kopa Kid." I grinned at his playful scowl-that was the "embarrassing" nickname I called him. Kopa gave me one last playful smile, before dashing down Pride Rock, off to play with his friend. Some lions might call me a bad, unprotective parent, but that wasn't the truth. I cared about my son very, very much, and made sure that he always was being watched either by me, or Zazu, or that he was closed to the pride (which he was). I was just a laid-back parent, and I didn't want to smother my son. I would never let anything hurt him though, and would give anything to save him if he was in danger. After all, he _was_ my little Kopa Kid.

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**Alright, not much action in this chapter, I know. I wanted to kind of show the bond between Kopa and Nala though, and if I just jumped right into the action I think it would take away from the story. Next chapter it will really start to heat up. So, if you want an update, REVIEW! No this is not a ransom, and I will post the chapter. But do you think I really feel like writing and posting the next part if it seems like nobodies reading? I worked really hard on this idea and chapter, so for all my hard work could you not at least click that little button and jot a quick review? Yeah longer reviews are nice, but I'll take anything!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I was stunned by the amount of feedback I got for the first chapter! My mouth did a literal :o when I saw all the reviews! Thank you everybody who has taken the time to read and review the story :), I always review-reply but a few of you either anonymously reviewed or had PM turned off, so I'm doing it here. **

**Many of this story's pieces are going to seem a lot like a diary. Just letting you know. Oh and also, we have a POV from someone other than Nala in this chapter... I know I promised a "Nala-centric POV" in the summary-and it is, but sometimes I may have a perspective from someone else. I just couldn't make it work any other way.  
**

**Be prepared (Oh dang, now that song's gonna be stuck in my head...) for a sad chapter**.

***Hums to self* "Be prepared for the chance of a lifetime, be prepared for sensation anew," *Groans* See? What did I tell 'ya?**

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_** Chapter 2: Childless.**_

**Nala's POV.  
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
One month later.**

We're seeing less and less of Zira these days. Her cubs and friends seem to be more scarce lately, also. Ever since Simba took back over six months ago, she has been a little distant from the others. More than a few lionesses were this way, including partially me, though, so I didn't give it a second thought. It kind of messes you up when you have a king like Scar.  
Almost everybody had pretty much recovered, though, and though we were permanently scarred, we had moved on. Sure we all had a nightmare now and then, but for the most part we had put it behind us. It was done, over, dealt with. We didn't have to worry anymore, or sleeplessly hunt through the night and come back with little more than a rat. We didn't have to see the cubs starving to death now. We had a new king, one who really cared about us and the kingdom. We were all at peace.

_Except for Zira..._ it really was quite strange. She never hung out with the other lionesses - save for her small circle of friends - anymore. Not that she ever had been a social butterfly, but... She was only around when it was time to hunt and sleep. There wasn't really a problem with that, but I did find it odd that she never socialized with anyone but her few friends and cubs. It was as though she existed in her own little world. She had recently birthed two twin cubs, a boy and a girl. They were both quite young, only a couple weeks old, currently.

For reasons unknown to me, I've always gotten a chill when I was around her. A strange, uncomfortable vibe. She wasn't _mean _or anything, but... I'm probably just being paranoid.

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
Two weeks later  
Nuka's POV.**

"Hey, um, Kopa..." I didn't know why my mother made me do this. I never liked the little brat very much anyway... But Mother wanted me to, and if it would make Mom happy, then I would definitely help. What I didn't understand was _why_ I had to..? Why did she want me to go play with the little prince? I didn't exactly like him... I wouldn't say we were enemies, but we always kept to our same groups. He wasn't my type... he was too ambitious and playful. It annoyed me. Maybe I was just jealous because I couldn't be the same way, but for whatever the reason I had always slightly resented the kid.

Maybe I was jealous of his mother? Perhaps I wished I had an affectionate mom like his own? Who didn't treat me like the very dirt we walk on? But putting this issue aside, I still didn't know why my mom had asked me to do this task. She had simply said, "Go play with the little brat. While you're playing, keep luring him slowly this way." It didn't make since to me. Why would mom want me to lure him to the gorge? Did she want me to befriend him or something? It made no sense. But ever trying to please my mother, and prove that _I _was better than little_ Kovu, _I simply nodded and set about my way to complete this confusing request.

"Hey! Kopa!" I plastered a smile on my face, hoping the gullible little guy would fall for the fake grin.

Kopa turned around cheerfully, but seemed to be a little bit confused at the sight of me talking to him. It was almost an unspoken rule of the cubs, that you didn't talk to those who were outside your 'group'. "Oh-Hey... Nuka?" I inwardly frowned. Did he really almost forget my name? Well, whatever, doesn't matter right now.

"Hey, do you want to play..." I panicked. Why had I not thought this conversation out before I came here? "Uh- Tag?"

This seemed to dumbfound the younger cub even more so. But, never refusing a game, he good naturedly replied, "Sure!" after a slight pause.

"Okay, then..." Ugh. This was so degrading! "Tag! You're it!"

He grinned, waggling his rump in the air before pouncing after me. "Here I come!"

A chase ensued, with me in the front prancing along like a drunken hyena and the little prince stumbling along behind me. I, being months older than him, was much faster than him, but so as not to get him to frustrated, I occasionally slowed down a bit to let him catch up. _Almost there, _I thought, relieved. Finally, I slowed to a stop only about twenty feet away from where my mother was waiting. I had to make something up, quick! "Um... Wow! Did you see that?" I asked, putting on fake surprise.

He puffed, exhausted, before choking out, "See wh-what?"

"There was a hare that just jumped through there!" I then thought up a quick white lie; "I bet your dad would be _really _proud if you brought that back home... it was huge!"

He bought it. I cannot believe the cub actually bought the load of crap. But for whatever reason, he did, and he, in less than a few seconds, was creeping through the bushes ahead of me, slowly towards where my mother awaited. After he was a good ten feet away from me, I silently dashed away to a nearby jutting rock I had seen earlier. It overlooked right where my mother was hiding. Because of the way it was shaped, I could see them, but they couldn't see me.

I watched the cub tentatively step into the small clearing, thoroughly confused. He sniffed the ground, searching quietly for the imaginary 'hare'. After coming to the conclusion that the 'hare' had gotten away, he turned back to where he had entered and called my name out. "Nuka? It must have gotten away, I don't see it..." he paused, waiting for my reply. "Nuka? Are you- whoa!" Something had caught the young cub's attention, and he pranced over to the edge of the deep, deep gorge.

"Wow..." he whispered, peering over the edge. He had not yet spotted the large canyon because of the thick fog that had settled. "I can't even see the bottom!" he marveled, clearly in a trance by the sheer wonder of it.

Suddenly my mother stepped out of the bushes. "Want a closer look?"

Kopa spun around faster than anything I had ever seen. "Umm... who're... oh! You're that lioness that I almost never see... Sera... no, no.. Zara? Um-"

"It's Zira." she smiled malevolently. "I'm_ sure _you'll remember it now..."

The poor guy seemed to be genuinely frightened. "Um, yes miss Zira! Sorry, I'm just not very good with names and-"

"Shut up, _Prince!" _She hissed the word through her teeth. She began to close in on him, pacing back in forth but each time she reached the end of a pace, she would rotate her body towards his slightly, slowly but surely closing the distance between them. She kept her face turned at his the entire time, though. I was getting a little scared... what did my mother plan to do to the little guy? Just because I didn't like him a whole lot didn't mean I wanted him to _die_!

"I-I'm sorry, I'll just be going now, I need to-"

"You need to shut up! Your father is a murderer..." She closed the gap between him and her. "Give this message to your grandfather..." She began slowly. "Tell him that my son... is going to murder his... and my son will rule the Pride Lands, like he rightfully should!" She knocked him off the edge, and he barely grabbed the side in time. She slapped her paws atop his, her claws digging into his flesh and drawing droplets of blood.

My heart skipped a beat. I was going to be king? Maybe my mother really did care about me...

Zira continued. "Tell him that... Kovu will avenge my Scar's death!"

No.. not Kovu! I should be king! He isn't even Scar's kid! "No.." I breathed.

With a final smile, a smile that was of pure evil, she leaned down, and whispered into his ear. "Long live the king..." With a flick of her paw, she knocked off the prince. He fell, terror imminent in his amber eyes. He seemed to mouth a single word as he fell. "Mom..."

_No... I never wanted to be part of this! I didn't want the little guy to die! But Mother... I... I should be king! Kovu... Kopa... Simba! What would Simba do? Would we have to leave_? So many thoughts were running through my head, all arguing with each other and creating an ear-splitting roar. I didn't know who to listen to... I just stood there, frozen. Whose side was I on? I-I didn't know... I wanted to be with Mother, but what about the pride, my friends, I... I was a.. murderer! No... But I deserved to be king!

Suddenly Saafine, my mother's most trusted friend, appeared by her side. "Is he disposed of?" My mother asked, hatred glinting in her eyes.

Saafine nodded. "Instant death at contact. There's barely any remains, even."

I winced at the thought of what poor Kopa must look like. I was so conflicted. And that's why I didn't do anything when I, out of the very corner of my eye, saw Tojo scamper off towards Pride Rock. He must've been watching almost the entire time...

No. I had to be on Mother's side. I would show Mother that _I _was meant to be king, not stupid, smelly, ugly, bratty, _Kovu._ It was too late to stop Tojo now, but no matter what, from now on I was on my mother's side. I would show her. I would show them _all._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

** Nala's POV.**

"No...no...no..it... it can't... No! Please... please be joking, Simba! Just... just please..." I was shaking violently, tears dropping quickly from my eyes.

Simba himself was struggling to keep his composure. "That-that's what Tojo said... said that he even heard one of her accomplices confirm it... he's... he's gone..."

"No... no... no! He can't be gone! He was here an hour ago!"

Simba began to cry, tears trailing down his cheeks now. "I-I..." His voice cracked, like an adolescent cub's would. "I-I'm sorry..."

I buried my face in his thick mane. I had never felt this horrible. This was the worst pain I had ever felt... even worse than when Scar had announced that Simba and Mufasa were dead. I didn't know pain then. That pain was nothing compared to this. Right now I felt like my world was caving in, and I was stuck inside. No pain can compare to the pain of a mother who has lost her child. Simba was crying freely now, his cries not even close to the volume of my sobs, but possessing the same amount of emotion.

After what seemed like hours, there were no more tears. You'd think we might start feeling better then. You'd be wrong. The sense of hopelessness only rectified, and we sat in teary silence, neither daring to say a word yet we might as well have spoken a thousand. We stayed like that for a very long time, just sitting there in the cave. At near midnight, we finally began to drift off, still locked in each others embrace. I felt myself slipping into sleepland; a land with no worries, no cares, and nothing but sweet, peaceful dreams.

But there would be no dreams tonight.

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**O-o I don't know why but I'm rather proud of that last line... :D. Sad wasn't it? I thankfully didn't struggle too much to write this chapter, so please tell me how I did in your review. Feedback is what keeps authors going, and what motivates us to continue :). It also lets us know what we could improve, and what we did right. So please review!**

***Sings softly* "Yes our teeth and ambitions are bared, be prepared!" *Facepalm* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**


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